Automatic control system for tabulators



Oct. 31, 1933. A. F. SMITH AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS FiledApril 22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Svwamtoz ARTHUR F. SM ITH W Oct. 31,1933. A. F. SMITH AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed April 22, 1927 H ms 0:. R U H T R A UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICEAUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS Arthur F. Smith, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to International Business MachinesCorporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationApril 22, 1927.. Serial No. 185,718

7 Claims. (01. 235-92) The invention concerns accounting machinesbrushes cooperating with individual contacts. and more particularlyautomatic control systems The cards are fed between the brushes andtheir for record controlled tabulators. cooperating contacts to hold anelectric circuit Record controlled accounting machines are deopen aslong as there are no perforations in the I signed to add, list and printtotals of items autocard but to permit engagement of each brush 60matically entered intothe machine from control with its cooperatingcontact through the card records on which the items are represented bywhen it encounters a perforation onthe card. index point perforationslocated in differential In machines of the moving-card type a singlepositions in the several card columns, each row of brushes usua ysuffices to Completely 10 column ordinarily representing one characteranalyze. each card, these brushes, of course, 65 which may be either anumber or a letter. There searching the S v index Point Positions at aretwo systems of representing characters in the differential times anddifierentially controlling card columns. The simpler one consists ofrepthe adding and printing mechanism to enter resenting each characterby a single perforation items therein according to the differential timein a column in which case, obviously, the number at which the circuit ismade at the analyzing 70 of characters which may be designated islimited b ush s. The automatic control system to the actual number ofindex point positions in nsi t of a i cuit in ludin he two s ts of thecard column, The other system i t i analyzing brushes in series and ifthe bards under representing a single charatcer by ne or more the twosets of brushes contain identical conindex points in which ease tcapacity of th trolling perforations this circuit will be closed 75'card column is enormously. increased as each at some time in the machineeyele serving to index point position may represent a h r t keep thecard feed active to feed another .card by itself and may also enter intocombination during the Succeeding Card feeding y le- If the with anyother index point or point i th controlling perforations are notidentical ill succolumn to represent a different h r t cessive cards,this series circuit fails to make so The cards are fed throu h th m tand the machine either stops or automatically matically and analyzed bysuitable mechanism takes a total of the data ed to t et which in turncontrols the accumulating and u a s system, w ve is l mited printingdevices of the machine, to enter into Ordinarily t0 the p y t m Of chaact r them the data represented by the perforations designation in Whicheach character consists of on the card. The cards may be analyzed eithera Single index p t 'while they are at rest or while they are in mo- ThePresent invention contemplates a sy tion, and while the present systemis. designed automatic control Which y be u to for either type ofanalysis and for either single aJYZe eeids either in motion at rest andof I 35 or combinational perforation systems, it'is pareither a single01' combinational System Of e ticularly concerned with combinationalperforaaetei' designation The control c cuit w ch detion analysis whilethe cards are in-m ti n termines whether or not the machine shall feedThe controlling records are usually divided into during the Succeeding ad ed cl groups, the group beingrepresented on each card .i controlledfrom a System Of a t wo 40'by similarly located perforations and itisdenets being pr vid d f a r l i a d sirable to continue the automaticfeeding of the umn one of which is wired ind pe h 150 records to theanalyzing mechanism as long as each of the analyzing brushes-for a givencard the group does not change but to interrupt the 0 m These magnetsepe w a ba card feed for the purpose of taking totals or peranced'armature construction wh Serves 1 45 forming other operations when r thegroup hold contacts in the control circuit closed if both changes. Thisis ordinarily accomplished'by magnets are energized at the same timeor'if' providing two sets of analyzing devices which are neither areenergized' but efiects opening of the spaced apart so that one cardfeeds to one of contacts if one magnet is energized while the them asthe preceding, card feeds to the other other is deenergized. As thecards feed beneath 50 so that the same index point positions on suc theanalyzing brushes the controlling contacts cessive cards are under thetwo analyzing mechaassociated with each controlling card column willnisms simultaneously. I remain closed as long as the card column isiden- Tabulators which analyze and control with the tical on successivecards as in this case at every records in motion are ordinarily o) theelectrical instant during the cycle the two magnets will 55 type and theanalyzing mechanism consists of either both be-energiz'ed or both bedeenergized.

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If the controlling perforations are difierent in the given column of twosuccessive cards, at some time in the cycle the circuit of one of themagnets will be closed through a card perforation while the circuit ofthe other remains open,

' thus permitting shifting of the balanced, armature structure to openthe contact in the control circuit. The machine will thereupon eitherstop after entry of the data from the card under the lower brushes orinstitute total taking. I

The two sets of control brushes according to the present invention mayfurthermore be of the same electrical polarity whereby either set may beused for printing or adding control if desired.

The'principal object of the invention is to provide an automatic controlsystem for record controlled accounting machines which is adapted tocontrol machine operation either in accordance with a single orcombinational hole character designations and to provide new andimproved construction and arrangement of parts for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic controlsystem for record "con:

either a single or combinational hole system while the records bearingthe designations are in motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic controlsystem for record controlled accounting machines in which a single rowof analyzing devices is provided in each analyzing "mechanism foranalyzing either single or combinational hole designations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic controlsystem for record controlled accounting machines which is adapted tocontrol the machine operation from single or combinational holedesignations on records in which each analyzing mechanism consists of asingle row of analyzing devices which successively search each indexpoint position for possible controlling designations.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic controlsystem for accounting machines which is adapted to .control machineoperation from cards in motion by making an ab- .solute comparison ofthe cards and controlling with like or unlike Fig. 1 is a diagrammaticrepresentation of the a control system in combination with a tabulatorcard feed.

the combinational index point type in which the cards areadapted to beanalyzed while in.

motion. The particular machine utilized for the purpose on illustrationis that disclosed in the copending application of Carroll Serial 'No.,185,711.flled April 22, 1927, now Patent'No.

1,726,539, datedSeptember 3, 1929, to which reference should be had fora full explanation. The particular type of machine does not enter intothe present invention as any other machine in which combinational holecards are analyzed while in motion would serve the purpose ofexplanation equally well.

Referring now to Fig.1 oi the drawings, a stack of cards to beanalyzed'is indicated at 150 which are adapted to be advanced by apicker 151 operated by an arm 152 into cooperative relationship withfeed rolls 1.53. The picker feeds one card at a time to the rolls 153which advance it during one machine cycle to the upper or controlanalyzing brushes 154 and during a later machine cycle to the lower oradding analyzing brushes 155. The rolls and iced mechanism are drivenfrom a shaft 156 rotatedby a suitable'motor (not shown) and a gear trainindicated generally at 157'. A card feed clutch mechanism indicateddiagrammatically at 158 is interposed in the system to efiect card feedonly at given times as is customary in machines. of this nature.

The automatic control circuit of the machine includes a plurality ofseries connected contacts 159 any number of which maybe connected inseries to control from any desired card columns. Eachpair of contacts159 is normally held closed by a pivoted bell crank 160 urged to circuitclosing position by a spring 161. The bell crank 160 is provided with anotch 162 into which fits the end of an extension 163 on the commonarmature structure for two magnets 164 and 165. As long as both magnets164 and 165 are energized or both are deenergized, the armaturestructure 166 remains'in neutral position as shown in Fig. 1 being heldhere by the action of spring 161.

Energization of eitherv magnet 164 or 165' without coincidentenergization of the other causes the armature structure 166 to turnabout its pivot 167 removing the end of extension 163 from the notch 162and rotating the bell crank 160 about its pivot 168. When so rotated thearm or bell crank releases the contacts 159 permitting them to openunder their own resiliency as shown in Fig. 2. The energization of themagnet which causes this action is instantaneous but the bell crank 160cannot reengage over the upper contact 159as will be clear from thelocation of parts in Fig. 2. The control circuit when opened at any oneof the contacts 159 then remains open until it is restored by a commonbail 169 which is rocked through a cam1'75 and bell crank 1'16 one ofwhose arms carriesthe bail. The cam 1'75 may be made to rotate when therestoring action is necessary by a one revolution clutch or similarmechanism illustrated diagrammatically at 180. This clutch is controlledby a 165 are (connected directly to the lower analyzing either bydeenergized or energized at the same time permitting the armaturestructure 166 to remain in the position shown in Fig. 1 closing thecorresponding contacts 159. As soon as one of the analyzing brushes 154,155 encounters a perforation at a time when the other does not encountera perforation one or the other of the magnets 164 or 165 will beenergized to rock the armature structure 166 opening the correspondingcontacts 159. The automatic control circuit is thus opened and remainsopen until restored by the bail 169 causing the machine either to stopor begin automatic totaling as desired.

The application of the automatic control system to a combination holemachine, in which cards are analyzed while in motion, will now beexplained in connection with Fig. 3 of the drawings. The circuit diagramis a simplified version of that shown in the copending application andpatent of Carroll, referred to above, and asit is merely used toillustrate the cooperation of the control system with a combinationalhole machine will be very briefly described, except in so vfar as theoperation aifects the automatic control system. One card in this machineis fed to the lower brushes 155 during one machine cycle and its hole orperforation-combinations are analyzed nets 208 through the usual addingand listing switch bar 209 and the closure of the contacts for eachcombinational set up is timed to enter numbers corresponding to the setups into the accumulators and to energize the printing magnets 208 atthe proper time to select the type members for printing either numbersor letters of the alphabet corresponding to the set ups. The use ofthree machine cycles for printing all charac- :ters which may berepresented on a cardis necessitated by the particular arrangement ofmachine elements and does not affect the presentinvention, although thispeculiar operation should be borne in mind to aid in an 'understandingof the control system as applied to this machine.

The machine is started into operation by closing the switch 215 toconnect the driving motor 216 directly across the main lines 50 and 51.The motor then starts operating to drive the mechanical elements of themachine. The start key ST is then depressed to initiate card feed.

' The closure of the start key contacts effects energization of eitherthe E timer startingv coil 218 or the D timer starting coil 219. If nocard is under the upper brushes an upper card lever 220 will be in theposition shown in the drawings, allowing the closing of contacts 221 toselect the D timer, while if a card is under-the upper brushes the lever220 will shift to an alternative position opening contacts 221 andclosing contacts 222 to select the E timer. These timers comprise anumber of contacts which open and close in predetermined sequence toenergize the starting control circuits of the machine. .If the D timerstarts in operation its contacts D2 close for two full machine cyclesclosing a circuit to the main or A card feed clutch magnet 222 226 totimer contacts D2, thence through wires 227 and 228 to a card feedclutch magnet 222- and through regular cam contact R20, closed at theproper time in each cycle, to common return. 229 and back to .the otherline 51. The energization of the A clutch magnet effects clutchingoperation of certain card feed clutch mechanism to feed the first cardfrom the maga- 'zine to the upper brushes during one machine cycleand tothe lower brushes during the following cycle.

If there should? be a card. under the upper brushes at the time ofdepression'of the-start key ST the E timer will start in operation, itsstarting coil 218 being energized through acircuit similar to thattraced above for the D timer. In this case the E timer contact E-2 willclose to/ energize the A card feed clutch magnet 222 during one fullcard feeding cycle only to feed the first card from the upper to thelower brushes. In either case the control of the A clutch magnet 222 isshifted from the timer contact to the automatic control circuit 230 whenthe first card reaches the lowerbrushes.

Before explaining the operation of the latter circuit, however, thefunction of the auxiliary or B card feed clutch which is controlled bythe magnet 231 will be briefly considered. The magnet coil 231 is in.series with a pair of upper card lever contacts 235 and a pair ofcontacts 236 operated by a cam of the shaft of clutch A and closedduring the early part of each revolution of this shaft. Whenever thereis a card under the upper brushes the contacts 235 close and if theAcard feed clutch starts in operation the contacts 236 close andenergize the B clutch magnet 231 starting the B clutch in operation.When the A and B card feed clutches operate together the'card feed ismodified so that each card feeds to the lower brushes during one machinecycle and then card feed is suspended for two cycles, after which thenext card feeds to the lower brushes and so on. Furthermore when the Bclutch once starts in operation it remains in operation for threemachine cycles and causes the A clutch to do likewise,'whereupon thecycle during which a card is fed to the lower brushes is always followedby two machine cycles in which no cards feed. This explains briefly theoperation of the Carroll machine with the exception of the operation ofthe automatic control system which-will now be explained in detail.

The magnets 164 and 165 and their contacts 159 I are mounted on the mainswitchboard 240 of the machine. One terminal of each magnet is connectedto the line 51 and the other terminals are connected to individualsockets 241 and 242, re-

spectively, so that any magnet 164 may be plugged I to any upper brush154. and the coacting magnet 165to the corresponding lower brush 155. Inthe drawings the two left hand pairs of magnets Fig. 3 are showniplugconnected to the two right hand pairs of-upper and lower brushes tocontrol from the two card columns traversed by these brushes. Thecontrol contacts 159 each terminate in individual sockets whereby anynumber of them may be connected in series in the-automatic controlcircuit 230 and in the drawings the contacts operated by the two lefthand pairs of magnets are so connected.

When the control of the A card feed clutch magnet 222 shifts from thestarting timers to the automatic control circuit, as is the case whenthe machine attains normal runningc'onditions, the energizing circuit ofthis magnet extends as follows;

' the upper card'lever contacts 235 and the CFA contacts 236. As long asthe cards under the upper and lower brushes agree in their controlperforations the contacts 159 remain closed and the A clutch magnet isenergized at the proper time to feed each new card of the group to theupper brushes and the preceding card to the lower brushes. when the cardgroup changes the new card feeding under the upper brushes does notagree in its control perforations with the last card of the old cardgroup now under the lower brushes and consequently one or more pairs ofthe series connected contacts 159 opens and remains open untilpositively restored.- The B clutch as explained above provides for twoblank machine cycles during which the data on the last card of the groupmay beaccumulated and printed: At the end of these two cycles theautomatic control circuit being still open the A clutch magnet 222 failsto energize and the A and B clutches disengage interrupting the normalcard feed.

Toward the end of each third cycle during the operation of the A and Bclutches CFA contacts 244, controlled from the A clutch shaft, and CFBcontacts 245, controlled from the B clutch shaft, close concurrently andenergize magnet 246 which controls. the one revolution clutch 180 (seeFig. 1 rotating the cam 175 to operate the bail coil 218 to the otherline 51 of the E timer starter coil starts this timer in 169 and restoreany open control contacts '159. This restoring action is timed, ofcourse, after the openingof the cam contacts R-20 in the cirshaft comesto rest the contacts 251 close and remain closed, and shortly after thisthe CFB contacts 252 controlled from the B clutch shaft close and openagain. "The instantaneous closing of these CFB contacts energize thestarting coil 255 of the total timer F whereupon the contacts of thelatter close in proper sequence and control the total switch bars256'and 257to effect total printing from the accumulators as fullyexplained in the copending Carroll application.

Accumulating and listing from the cards of the succeeding group may beautomatically re sumed at the end of total taking by closing' the.automatic start'switch 258. After completion of the total takingoperations the total timer contacts F-9 close and establish a circuitthrough the E'timer starting coil 218 as follows: From line so throughwires 22s, 260'and contacts F'9 to switch 258, thence through regularcam contacts R--5 and wire 259 to contacfs 261, closed by upper cardlever 220 as long as there is a card under the upper brushes, andthence'through E'starter The energizatio'n operation to initiate operations onthe next card group as explained above.-

The .invention has now been 'deabribed in con- 'nection with a singleoperative embodiment thereof but it will be understood that manymodifications will readily occln' to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. For example, the systemcould & readily be applied to a combinational hole machine in which eachcard was analyzed and the data thereon accumulated and printed in asingle machine cycle in'which case the restoring bail could be madeoperative to restore the automatic control contacts at the end of eachmachine or card feeding cycle instead of at the end of three card cyclesas in the present case. I intend tobe limited, therefore, only asindicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An automatic control system for a record controlled machinecomprising analyzing mechanism including a single brush for successivelysensing index points in a column of a controlling record and a singlebrush for synchronously sensing index points in a column of a succeedingrecord, a separate circuit controlled by each brush and a magnet in eachcircuit, a common armature structure associated with the cores of themagnets, mechanical means for balancing the armature, and means operatedby said balancing means when one magnet alone is' energized to determinea diiferent type of machine operation.

2. An automatic control system for a record controlled machinecomprising analyzing mechanism including a single brush for successivelyanalyzing index points in a column of a controlling record, and a singlebrush for synchronously sensing index points of a column of a successiverecord, a separate circuit controlled by each brush and a magnet in eachcircuit, a common balanced armature structure associated with the coresof the magnets, and mechanical means for holding said armature inbalanced position and shifted in the same direction by said armatureirrespective of either of which magnet is energized alone.

3. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of card readingcircuits, a magnet in each circuit and both energized when, perforationsin means intermediate said holding means and ar- I mature for shiftingsaid holding means in the same direction irrespective of the directionofmovement of the armature.

4. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of magnets, recordcontrolled means where- B5 by either magnet-is energized alone whendesignations of successive records disagree, a mechanically balancedarmature correlated with both magnets and arranged to beshifted ineither of two directions depending upon-which magnet 'is energizedalone, and a machine control device operated in a single:direction byeither directional movement of the armature. A

.5. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of magnets, meansunder control of successive records for effecting energization of eitherof said magnets alone when record perforations disagreya balancedarmature structure "associated with said magnets, mechanical means'i'orbalancing'said armature, and a machine control 1 device operated by thebalancing means when either magnet is energized alone! 6. In a machineof the class described, a pair of magnets energized under control ofrecords, a balanced armature common to said magnets, a

. member, contacts controlled by said member, and

cam means carried by said armature and arranged to shift said. memberwhen either magnet is energized alone.

7. In a machine of the class described, a pair;

of magnets, an-armature pivotally balanced be

